Of Kanrinrins and Kendo
by Hina no Otaku
Summary: When a battle between Motoko and her sister doesn't go quite as planned, she and Keitaro must deal with the consequences of their actions...which may affect his and Naru's relationship completely as well as the rest of the Hinatasou residents.
1. Chapter 1 Tearful Union

_Authors Note: In my haste to publish this chapter, I left out some important details that may otherwise confuse certain readers new to the Love Hina canon. This story takes place in about the 7 th or 9th volume of the Love Hina manga by Japanese manga-ka, Ken Akamatsu. In summary: Tsuruko, Motoko's sister, arrives at the Hinata-sou to take her back home to the Gods Cry School in order to take it over. Motoko, feeling herself not ready to take on such a heavy burden and responsibility, lies to her sister and tell her that Keitaro and she are secretly engaged to be married! The ruse appears to work at first, but then Tsuruko finds out, engages Motoko in battle, and defeats her, rejecting her as the heir to the school. Her spirit crushed, she then attempts to live a normal life as a woman, doing all sorts of housework around the dorm, which only serves to aggravate the other girls, as her methods leave something to be desired. Tsuruko appears out of nowhere and approaches Keitaro with an interesting proposition: To help Motoko defeat her. If they do not, he must take responsibility for his part in the ruse, and "make Motoko a woman." In other words, should they fail, he has to marry her. So Keitaro gives Motoko his family's ancient sword, "Hina – The Ominous Blade," and they take off to Kyoto to do battle with the elder Aoyama. Our story begins in the midst of the battle where a serious divergence in the time-line is about to occur…_

**Love Hina – Of Kanrinrins and Kendo**

**Chapter 1 – Tearful Union**

**SMASH!**

Pain. Indescribable pain coursed through Motoko's body as Tsuruko slammed her against a massive piece of bedrock that struck out of the earth, her eyes almost appearing possessed; a wicked grin was plastered on her face.

"You aren't even trying! Do you wish for me to end this right now?" She cocked her head questioningly. Motoko couldn't muster a response as her sister's hand was tightly squeezing her neck and holding her down. The most she could force out was a weak gasp.

Her grip tightened, "Mark my words, you will carry the shame you are about to experience…all the way to your grave!" adding, "Prepare yourself!"

Motoko shuddered…is this how it would end? Both dishonored and killed before ever experiencing life's greatest moments? What about the inheritance of the family school? Children?

…Love?

Her thoughts fluttered momentarily onto the man who had offered to help her in her battle against her sister, inwardly sighing. A single lone tear rolled down her cheek.

Urashima. Goodbye.

"HOLD ON, MOTOKO!"

"Ehh?" she blinked.

All of a sudden, she was whisked out of her sister's grip in a flash, Keitaro clutching her tightly and flinging a handful of Koalla Su's handy dandy mini-bombs in Tsuruko's direction. No description would do justice to the look of dumbfounded surprise on her face.

Explosions rocked the ground as Keitaro came to a stop, hobbling on his cast, and grinning, "Cool save, huh? Su Fed-Ex'ed a whole case of those babies!"

Motoko flushed, feeling the grip of his arm and the warmth of his body so close to hers.

"Ahh," was the only thought she could register at the moment as he placed her down.

Naru looked on, flustered and visibly unnerved by their closeness, growling inwardly.

The clouds of smoke surrounding Tsuruko parted, and there she stood, unblemished, an aura blanketing her body, "Fu fu fu…**NOW **it's beginning to get interesting!"

Keitaro flailed, tears of panic streaming from his eyes, "How high is that lady's hit point level!"

"Ahem."

He turned around to face an annoyed Narusegawa staring at him jealously, "Don't you think…you're trying just a BIT too hard? You DO have a broken leg, after all." Keitaro could almost swear she was pouting a bit.

"Huh?" was all he responded with, confused.

She got in his face, frowning and blushing, "Did something happen last night between you and Motoko? It's soooo obvious."

Keitaro couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was she getting jealous…and NOW of all times! "Now really isn't the best time to talk about this!" he protested.

She jumped forward, fuming and grasping the hilt of the cursed Hina sword strapped to his back, "There you go trying to act all macho! If you want to beat her so much, instead of bombs, go chop her head off with your sword!"

"Eeep! NO! Don't touch that!" he yelled, not quick enough to stop her.

A visible change took place on Naru's face, her eyes widening, "This…power…" she muttered, the sword shaking in her hand.

An evil aura sprang from the blade and engulfed her, changing her entire countenance. Her eyes turned jet black with a white glow where the pupils should have been.

"Ka ka kak," she cackled in an otherworldly voice.

Keitaro and Motoko both gasped in horror, "Oh my GOD! Look at her eyes!" cried a panicked Urashima.

"Why did you let her grab your sword?" Motoko chastised him, "Now we have to put HER down, too!"

"It's not like I did it on purpose!" he objected, flailing his arms in outrage.

Tsuruko stopped her advance on the pair and watched the transformation taking place, "I recognize that sword! It's the legendary ominous blade known as 'Hina' that plunged the city of Kyoto into the sea!" Her eyes furrowed, "It took the COMBINED STRENGTH of the Gods' Cry school to seal it away!"

The pair's countenance froze in shock and dumbfounded dread.

"We're screwed!" they shouted in unison. Keitaro felt that if there had been anything in his bladder, he would have lost it at this moment.

Meanwhile, Naru's eyes became like swirls and her body appeared to pulsate like gelatin. A wicked voice gurgled upwards from her throat, "Ahh, yessss…never been in a female's body before…it feels goooood…"

"Gyaaaaaah!" exclaimed Aoyoma and Urashima, tears flying out of their eyes in dismay.

"Take that!" the Naru-demon leaped forward, sword pointed outward in attack. The two narrowly avoided the assault as rock exploded behind them, flinging them away, "Yaaaaaah!"

"Fu fu fu…the sword must be leeching the girl's life force in order to expand its dark power," Tsuruko called out, not that anyone within shouting distance could have heard her among the rocketing explosions of dirt, rock and debris. She continued, leaping to a steady place on the turf, "Lucky for us, it's squandering any power that's gained, giving me time to gain the advantage." She readied her sword, positioning herself in a battle stance. Her eyes focused on Motoko, who was deftly avoiding huge chunks of bedrock. She frowned in concern, "Oh, Motoko."

Something was approaching.

Her eyes darted upwards to see the demon-possessed Narusegawa bearing down on her from above, sword flung back to strike. Deftly, she furrowed her brow, staying her arm until it was close enough. Swinging upward, she knocked the sword out of Naru's grasp, flinging it away, and in a second slash down, knocked Naru backwards with the hilt of her blade.

"Gah?" Naru blinked, as her eyes began to change to normal, and was flung headfirst into the hard ground, "Oof!"

Tsuruko turned on her heel and gave attention to the cursed sword falling rapidly through the air. She drew her hand back, and immediately began to charge her chi, sending electrical forces coursing through her blade. She suddenly thrust out her arm, lobbing a wave of powerful, pulsating energy towards 'Hina.' She roared out the name of her attack, trumpeting above all the din:

"CUTTING DEMON SWORD! SECOND FORM!"

A wave of light engulfed the immediate area. There wasn't a shred of ground, vegetation, or person within a quarter-mile that did not get bathed in the attack's awesome, cosmic glow. Keitaro and Motoko shielded their faces, utterly blinded by the luminosity.

'Hina' clattered to the ground, utterly motionless and silent.

Motoko rubbed her eyes, the present area now back to normal, "T-the sword! It's been sealed!"

Keitaro bumbled around in a daze, eyes swirling and partially blinded by the intense white light, "Gaaaah…where is everyone?" He slipped and cracked his skull on a jutting rock. However, Keitaro, being Keitaro, was quite unfazed by the splitting headache received.

Motoko rushed over to her older sister, excited, "Onee-san! You did it! I—"

A cold flash of steel sliced the air, and Motoko was suddenly on the wrong end of a sharp, steel blade inches from her neck. She froze mid-step.

Tsuruko glared at her with a mixture of anger and disappointment, "Admit your defeat, Motoko-chan. You have brought shame and honor on yourself and to your family with your lies and," she added, "you almost unleashed a terrible evil on the world."

Motoko gasped, tears welling in the corners of her eyes. She looked back at her sister like a deer caught in headlights, "I-I…"

"You are not fit to carry on the Gods' Cry School. You are hereby banished from the grounds." Tsuruko hilted the blade and walked away, adding, "Your marriage ceremony to Urashima-san will begin immediately."

Motoko fell to her knees, staring in the distance, watching her sister's receding figure wane into the distance.

Keitaro sat up, rubbing his head, "W-what happened? Did we win?" He looked around for any possible signs of a victory, but all he saw was a wasteland devoid of any living vegetation.

"Whoa."

"Ow, ow, ow," moaned Naru, sitting up in a corner away from the other two, "What the hell hit me? Keitaro, you are in **SO** much trouble." She glanced up, eyes widened like saucers to the scene before her, "Uhh, whoa…what'd I miss?"

sob, sob, sob

Keitaro blinked and noticed that Aoyoma was face down on the hard ground, body shaking silently. He rushed over to her side and kneeled down beside her, "Motoko! Are you ok? What happen—gack!"

Motoko threw her arms around Keitaro, squeezing him tightly and shuddering into his chest, "Keeiitarroooo…" she wailed.

"Ack! M-motoko, don't cry! Everythin' will be all right, you'll…you'll see!" he attempted a confident laugh and was trying to be overly positive like usually, but found himself not believing his own lines.

"I…uh, I guess we lost, huh?"

She choked in response, digging her head closer into him.

Earlier in the week, when they had been alone in his room, Motoko had done the same thing, perhaps a little less passionately than now, and she requested that he hold her. However, now, she was too choked up to even utter a syllable, let alone a simple request. It was unspoken; something demanded by her mood and her body language, she absolutely needed someone to hold her. Someone to let her know they'd be there for her…

She wanted that someone to be Keitaro Urashima.

Unlike earlier, he found himself wrapping his arms around her without a second thought, and holding her head against his chest. She sobbed until there were no more tears…

Naru, off by herself, could only stare quietly, aware of what had happened…and what this loss meant to them all…especially Keitaro and herself. She turned away from the scene, her own tears becoming her only sustenance.

The wind cooed silently, filling the awkward silence.

Marriages are typically the happiest thing to happen to a young couple, ready to start their own lives together. You rarely see a bride who isn't crying tears of joy when that priest pronounces the life-long bond with their husband-to-be complete.

Motoko Aoyoma's tears were of a different kind, however. Tears of bitterness and regret blanketed her face as the priest finished the ceremony. The loss of everything and the heavy burden she had to bear from the deceptions she told her sister had almost provoked her into a state of shock.

Keitaro, meanwhile, had an extremely sad countenance. He had always thought and hoped that the bride standing across from him holding his hand would be Naru, not the crazy kendo girl who had hated him from day one as landlord of the Hinata-sou. He looked around the stage where the ceremony was performed, and didn't see Naru anywhere. He couldn't exactly blame her. Their relationship, in the instance of a second, had been snapped in half. He had never even heard her answer his proclamation of love. He leaned on the crutch under his right arm. His foot hurt like hell, and his head was pounding from the sudden meeting of good rich earth and human skull.

In the meantime, Tsuruko had given the invitees ample time to arrive at the school to attend the proceedings. The residents of the Hinata-sou had thought it was a bad joke, but Kitsune, not wanting to give up the chance at free booze normally associated with a wedding reception, convinced them to all go along with it.

"I'll bet Keitaro will do some sneaky little underhanded trick at the last minute and, like, I dunno, pull a grenade out and shove it down Tsuruko's gi or something," she reasoned with the others.

If anything else, a good show was guaranteed, especially if Naru attempted to go psycho and stop the wedding by beating the living daylights out of their landlord. Everyone would win!

However, after realizing that no such rescue was due in coming, Kitsune was unusually somber, her usual tightly shut eyes opened in sadness. Even the thought of free sake didn't comfort her in the least. Most depressing of all was that Naru was nowhere to be seen. That didn't sound good. She was afraid that the antennae-girl might do something rash, like commit seppuku, throw herself off a cliff, or blow herself (and Keitaro) up with that previously mentioned grenade…As much as she would deny it to infinity, Kitsune was aware how Naru felt.

Tsuruko had insisted on a Shinto-style wedding, but she did arrange for a few mixed-in western traditions.

The priest indicated that it was time to exchange rings. The two did so without a word.

A shrine maiden came forward and placed a small wooden stand with three san-san-kudo cups on it between the couple. Keitaro reluctantly took the top-most cup that the shrine maiden then filled with saké. He carefully took sips of 3 equal portions, each spaced by about 3-5 seconds between, at which time the cup was empty.

Now it was Motoko's turn. Keitaro handed her the cup, blushing profusely, both from embarrassment and the rice wine going straight to his head. The shrine maiden then filled the cup for her, at which time the bride-to-be repeated Keitaro's actions, taking 3 carefully timed sips until it was gone. She let out a sudden gasp of air from the strength of the stuff. She then proceeded to place it on the stand, and took another cup, which the maiden filled again, and repeated the drinking procedure before handing it to Keitaro. He finished it just as before and placed the cup down again. Finally, the 3rd cup was handled and the procedure began all over again as the first time.

This was it.

Shinobu was all tears, hiding her face behind her hands, sobbing quietly. All of her dreams and wishes about being with her sempai were dashed like so much chaff in the wind.

Su and Sarah seemed sort of perplexed at the whole thing, but even they understood this wasn't exactly an occasion where you dropped kicked the landlord in the head. This was too serious, depressing and…well, boring.

Haruka thoughtfully chewed on the edge of her cigarette, still wearing her café apron, eyes revealing no hint of emotion as per the usual. Her face was tightened up a bit in a grimace, but no one could tell if that was due to the situation at hand or bad gas.

Mutsumi as usual, had no idea what was going on. She always put on her best smile when Keitaro was involved. She made sure to take plenty of watermelons for the occasion, in case it was a happy one. Tama-chan perched on her head, tiny turtle eyes looking somehow forlorn.

"Myuuuh."

Tsuruko, still dressed in her white gi and red hakama, sat in the front row (along with the rest of her clan) hand on her katana in the case that one of them tried to make a break for it. Justice would be enacted in either case.

The priest, in English, spoke up, "I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Keitaro and Motoko both looked up at the same time at each other, faces red. A kiss in a Shinto ritual! Tsuruko was obviously behind this. This was like a mockery of their attempted "fake" kiss in front of her back at the Hinata-sou, which started this whole damn thing.

"Damn you, onee-san!" thought the blushing bride-to-be.

"Is this really what you're supposed to do in a Shinto wedding?" Keitaro thought, posing the question to himself. He scratched the back of his head quizzically.

The Hinata-sou residents murmured amongst themselves at this development, but otherwise said nothing.

Hundreds of thoughts rushed through the couple's minds in the span of a few seconds.

"Well," Motoko sighed inwardly, "there's no fighting Tsuruko over this. Time to eat humble pie. I guess my lips ARE cursed." She looked straight into Keitaro's eyes.

Perhaps, she thought, this wouldn't be so bad. He was really very sweet when it came down to it, and kind. Sure, he was a clumsy fool, and a complete pervert, but she was pretty sure she could beat it out of him. And he DID seem to care about her welfare. He had tried to help her in her darkest hour, even if they had been soundly defeated.

…and, she had to reluctantly admit, he WAS sort of cute.

Still, she hesitated.

Keitaro glanced down at Tsuruko sitting in the front seat. She nodded at him to do the duty…or else. He sweatdropped and pulled at his haori-hakama (black wedding kimono) nervously.

Naru, he thought. I'm so sorry. I wanted something so different from this…I guess that promise is going to go to waste…goodbye future. Goodbye Tokyo U.

…goodbye, Naru.

He glanced back at Motoko's big, doleful eyes, "She's pretty cute, I guess," he thought introspectively, "…and pretty nice when she isn't trying to kill me. Maybe she'll beat me up less from now on," he wondered. His mind flashed back to when she was trying to be 'helpful' around the house and wore Kitsune's maid uniform. She put her all into it just like everything else she did. He did find that somewhat attractive.

And he had failed her…after convincing her to try again. And again. And again.

"I suppose my overwhelming cheerfulness and optimistic attitude won't save us now," he sighed inwardly.

He also hesitated.

After a moment of awkward silence, they nodded slightly at each other in agreement and moved closer to each other dutifully. They both closed their eyes.

Urashima? Of all people in the world, it was this pervert?

Motoko? The violent kendo girl who hated his guts?

All of the couple's reservations melted away as their lips melted into each other's, sealing their lifelong bond.

There was no cheer, no tossing of confetti, or clapping of hands. The moment was rather sobering. Cicada's chirped in the distance.

Motoko ran through a range of emotions. He was so close…and so warm. His breath was hot and his lips were soft. A tingle of pleasure ran up and down her spine. She suddenly didn't care who was watching, or how embarrassed she was to be kissing this idiot.

Similarly, Keitaro went through many of the same sensations. He had been kissed a couple of times before by Mutsumi and, more recently, was given an especially pleasurable good-luck kiss from Naru before taking their final exam…

…but this was different. It was a first kiss…an inexperienced first kiss for a girl who had never known a man before; awkward, but probing and gentle.

They parted from each other, staring into each other's eyes…their opinion of each other somewhat altered in that one instant.

Tsuruko nodded sadly. Motoko-chan's honor debt was repaid. Now that she was no longer a swordswoman, she must learn to be simply…a woman. And Urashima wasn't exactly an unkind, treacherous oaf, regardless of the part he played in deceiving her. He had done it to preserve her sister's happiness, regardless of the means used to retain it. That would be useful and good as the retainer of Motoko's welfare.

The priest came forward, "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Urashima." They both faced the crowd and bowed on their knees, blushing profusely.

The crowd was silent. It had really happened. No last minute rescue or tons of explosions followed by a Mecha Tama-chan rush. It was a rather ordinary and unremarkable wedding ceremony.

"Uhh, Su…what does this mean for us?" Sarah whispered in Koalla's ear.

"Twice the big brothers and sisters to have fun with?" she quipped back, grinning.

"Excccelleeent." Sarah rubbed her hands together, smirking, "I call dibs on the dork."

"Semmmpaaaaiiii…." sobbed little, timid Shinobu quietly to herself.

"Hrm…" Haruka muttered to herself. "One less rent check to collect." She tapped the ash from her cig onto the ground.

"I think I need some of that free booze," Kitsune murmured, rubbing her chin, one free eye open.

The reception afterwards was a bit more upbeat. The shock was still there, of course, but some of it had begun to sink in for the 'happy' couple and the Hinata-sou residents.

Kitsune was, of course, binging on as much alcohol as her liver could possibly handle, and began to start hitting on the young shrine priests much to their chagrin.

Motoko was talking to Su and Sarah, who were peppering her with all kinds of questions, such as what exactly a 'betrothal' was, and "was it good to eat?" Motoko was still somewhat distraught over the whole thing, but found enough time to entertain the two youngsters.

Mutsumi was busy consoling a bawling Shinobu. "Oh me, oh my…" she cooed, as she stroked the schoolgirl's head gently.

Naru was still nowhere to be found.

Keitaro found himself at the edge of a table away from the others, nursing a glass of saké. He wasn't sure how to deal with his tenants regarding all of this, and wasn't sure he wanted to. Sure enough, someone sought him out anyway.

"Ehhh, the man of the hour! hic!"

"Hey Kitsune," he responded, looking away, the saké on her breath a tad overpowering. Her face was beet red.

She took his hand and started vigorously shaking it, a bit TOO overeagerly, as she was completely plastered, "Congudulatshon, Keitaro-kuuun! I'm SOOOOO proud ofya!" He attempted to take his arm back, but she was pumping it back and forth so fast, he couldn't release her grip.

"Uhh, thanks," he responded, blushing.

She finally let go, deftly took his palm and slapped a small envelope into it, "Here, it's a giff. hic!"

He examined the envelope closely, "You didn't manage to fit another 10-yen candy in here, did you?"

Kitsune's head tilted back, and she guffawed loudly, drawing attention from everyone in the vicinity.

"Thash a good one, Keitaru!" She got close to his face and began to whisper, "Heeey…so, what moves are you gonna try to get Motoko in the sack tonight, eh? Nudge nudge, wink wink." She nudged his arm and winked at best as she could under the circumstances to make her point clear. It looked more like her eyes were twitching uncontrollably.

The contents of Keitaro's mouth were spewed all over the premises.

"W-what!" he gulped, taking off his glasses and absentmindedly cleaning them with a corner of his kimono, "Kitsune, cut it out!"

The fox girl suddenly spotted a young shrine priest across the way and pointed towards him, grabbing Keitaro in a headlock, "Hey! Hey, hey, hey! Ya think he'd like a good time!"

"Uhh, sure?" Keitaro sheepishly responded, trying to free himself once again.

"Thanksh, man! Yer the beshtsh frend a gurl could eva haf!" She let him go, slapped him soundly (some might say harshly) on the back, and proceeded to stalk off drunkenly towards her quarry.

"She really gets into celebrations, doesn't she?" he moaned to himself, straightening himself up.

"Kei-kuuuun…" lilted Mutsumi as she approached him, cheerful as ever, hands placed together in the peaceful, serene pose she had adopted.

"Oh…hi, Mutsumi," he smiled back as best as he could muster.

"Oh, Kei-kun. I'm so happy for you! Not that I really understand what's going on, but you and Motoko-san just seemed soooo happy!"

"Uhh, Mutsumi, I just got **MARRIED**," Keitaro sweat dropped. Was she REALLY that dense?

"Ohhhhh, is that what happened? I had my suspicions, but I didn't want to jump to any conclusions," she perked, smiling widely.

Keitaro promptly fell over in disbelief.

"Anyway, I've brought a gift for you!" she smiled, suddenly dropping an armload of watermelons in his hands.

"Urrk! T-thanks, Mutsumi," he muttered as he strained under the weight of the overwhelming produce.

Motoko finally got the girls to go and bother the others, and walked off on her own for a bit, behind a nearby cherry tree. She leaned against it, sighing deeply and looking at a small cluster of clouds.

"It's amazing how much has occurred in such a short time." She ran a hand through her hair and sighed again, "Narusegawa-sempai…I didn't mean for this to happen. Please don't hate me, but…"

She touched her lips, the memory of her first real kiss, however ceremonial it may have been, still fresh in her memory. She replayed it a few more times in her mind, and couldn't help blushing, remarking, "It was so…nice…"

"Hi, Motoko."

The ex-swordswoman spun around at the sound of the voice. It wasn't like Motoko to be taken by surprise like that. "Of course, considering my failure earlier," she thought later, "I must already be really off my game."

"N-naru-sempai!"

To her surprise, Naru came out from behind another tree, dressed in the same butterfly shirt and skirt she had been wearing earlier during the match. She didn't seem angry, or sad, or even weepy. Motoko went as far to glance down at her hands to see if she was wielding a dagger or an Uzi.

But no, she was just smiling gently. She stepped closer and walked around her in a circle, examining Motoko's shiromuku (Shinto wedding dress). She stopped when she had made a complete circuit and smiled widely, "You make a beautiful bride, Motoko."

"T-thank you," the new Mrs. Urashima stammered, blushing and looking towards the ground.

Naru giggled and stared at the ground, running her left foot in a circle; she seemed to have something on her mind.

"Naru-sempai…p-please don't hate me," Motoko bowed deeply at the waist, frowning.

Naru gave her a wan smile, and placed a hand on her shoulder, "I don't hate you, Motoko…and I can't hate that silly fool, either." She ran a hand through her long hair, continuing, "Frankly, I didn't think it was gonna work between us anyway."

"Or at least, that's what you're telling yourself," Motoko thought sadly to herself, but said nothing in response, remaining bowed.

Naru turned around at stared at the horizon where the sun was slowly beginning to set; she stayed quiet for several seconds before speaking up again, "Hey, Motoko…?"

"Yes, Naru-sempai?" Motoko looked up from her stooped position.

"Can you do me a favor, and promise me something?"

"A-anything I can do to help!" she blurted in response.

Naru turned back around, winking and pointing a finger to her cheek, "Would you please take care of Keitaro for me?"

Motoko blushed profusely, but nonetheless bowed deeply again in respect, eyes shut, "O-of course! I'll keep him in line!"

Naru pleated her skirt absentmindedly, "He's an idiot, of course. He needs all the support he can get, and…" she suddenly spun around on her heel, "…don't you dare let him give up on Tokyo U! He still owes me a promise!"

Her eyes at this point were buckling under the weight of her tears. She sniffed and turned away, walking back into the wood, "I'm going back home to my parents' for awhile. Don't tell the others," she looked back over her shoulder, "Please? I don't want anyone to see me like this right now…and I don't think I could stand being at the dorm anyway."

Mrs. Urashima was taken aback, but nodded sadly, "Yes. I won't tell Urashima or anyone else."

Naru smiled that wan smile of hers again and continued on her way, "I'm so glad that someone like you is watching over him…Urashima-chan."

Motoko watched her disappear into the denseness of the surrounding forest.

"I promise, Naru."

To Be Continued…


	2. Chapter 2 Nervous Newlyweds

Love Hina – Of Kanrinrins and Kendo Chapter 2 – Nervous Newlyweds 

"Hey, thanks for the party, Tsuruko!"

"Oh, you are most welcome," replied the Elder Aoyoma, smiling with a hand covering her mouth and the other waving lightly to the guests.

Kitsune Konno waved at the newlyweds before heading off with the other dorm residents, hands behind her head, smirking all the way, and shouted, "See ya later, guys! We'll get the place ready to you two for when you get back!"

Keitaro sweatdropped, and posed the question to his bride, "Ano, what do you suppose she meant by that?"

"If it's Konno, it's something extremely perverse and unacceptable," muttered Motoko, her arms crossed and eyes closed as if she were meditating on what that might be.

When they were a distance away, Shinobu, whose tear-stained cheeks had finally dried, walked up beside Kitsune, looking somewhat concerned about her choice of words, "Uhh, Kitsune, what **did** you mean by that?"

"Yeah, yeah! What're we gonna do? Turn his room into a Haunted House?", cried Su in excitement.

"TP their rooms! TP their rooms!" squealed Sarah accordingly.

Kitsune sniggered, "You kids have no imaginations, do ya? What exactly do you think couples do when they get married!"

Su and Sarah, being young and immature, were at a loss. "Stay up until 3:00AM watching movies on TV?" quizzed Su, putting the tip of her finger to her mouth, "I know that's what **I'd** do if I got married!"

"Fling things at each other really, really hard?" piped up Sarah.

"Nah, they already do that now…well, at least, Motoko-chan does."

"Uhhh….TP their rooms! TP their rooms!" was the only other thing Sarah could think of, and chimed in with her suggestion again.

"Geesh, didn't your parents teach you kids anything!" Kitsune barked, placing a hand on her forehead in frustration. She pulled out a blackboard from seemingly nowhere and put on her professor uniform. Taking a pointer out, she directed it at a picture of a man and a woman. She cleared her throat, "Ahem! You see, when a guy really, really digs a chick, he lays next to he…KYAAAH!"

Haruka proceeded to put her cigarette out in Kitsune's hair, "What the hell are you teaching these kids?"

"So, they take naps together?" Su rubbed her chin, trying to comprehend what the fox girl had been explaining. Her face was contorted in deep thought.

All the color drained out of Shinobu's face as she froze with realization, putting her hands to her face, "Y-you don't mean…!" She immediately turned to stone in embarrassment.

"Hrm heh heh heh," Kitsune grinned and nodded, rubbing the ash and cinders out of her hair, "Finally, someone who understands me."

"I understood you perfectly," Haruka shot a dirty look at Kitsune.

"Yeah," she shot back, "but you're an old maid. I'm teachin' the younger generation here!"

Kitsune was sent flying into the next prefecture courtesy of Haruka's elbow. Haruka grumbled and turned to the others, face expressionless as usual, "Ok, guys, who's up for some ice cream before our train leaves?" She lit up a new cig, took a draw, and began to walk towards a nearby ice cream stall.

Both Su and Sarah cheered, and followed close behind.

"I want turtle-flavored! Turtle-flavored!" Su demanded, leaping on Haruka's shoulders and going piggyback.

Shinobu was left behind, still frozen as if a statue; a pigeon landed on her head.

"Coo," it remarked.

After the gang had taken off into the horizon, Tsuruko moved in front of the newlyweds, her motions so graceful, it was as if she was floating on air. She smiled, "Fu fu fu…you two make such an adorable little couple."

The two didn't respond but simply looked away from each other, blushing beet red.

"So, uh, why did you want us to stay behind, Tsuruko-sama?" Keitaro put a hand on the back of his head, nervously glancing downward. Mostly because he was embarrassed, but also because to look at Tsuruko would mean that he might not be able to look away. Her beauty had even made the female Hinata-sou tenants stare. Motoko didn't appear to hold a candle to her beauty quite yet.

"_Does marriage do that to a woman?" _he wondered.

The Elder Aoyama smiled, and laughed gently, "Tut tut, Keitaro-san…please, call me onee-san."

"Y-yes ma'am!" he stammered back, standing at attention like a Private First Class.

She smiled lightly and placed her two hands on both of the couples' shoulders, "Well, with that said…I asked you both to stay behind to begin your training!"

They both raised their eyebrows and cocked their heads questioningly.

"Training, onee-san?" said Motoko, unsure of where this was headed.

"_Is she going to allow me to pick up the sword again?"_ she speculated inwardly. Her heart skipped a beat.

Tsuruko nodded, holding a finger up, "Why of course! You need to learn how to be a married couple!"

They both fell face-first into the dirt.

"W-what!" Keitaro leapt to his feet, face somewhat dusty, and flailed his arms.

"What do you mean, onee-san!" said Motoko, acting in much the same way as her husband.

Tsuruko smiled, hiding it behind the tips of her fingers. She found it so cute when those two were flustered, which made them an even better match in her opinion. She sincerely enjoyed teasing them for this reason.

"Come with me, young ones," she turned around without explanation and advanced towards one of the nearby school halls. Motoko and Keitaro looked at each other in puzzled confusion, but inwardly shrugged, and kept up as best as they could in their wedding attire.

The halls of the dojo were sparse, decorated with not much more than the occasional picture of some inspiring words and images. Various arms and implements of war were sprinkled carefully throughout on stands and walls. The floors were hardwood, clean, and they bounced off the spare remaining rays of sunlight peeking through nearby windows.

Keitaro wasn't completely overwhelmed by the whole affair. In sightseeing with his family when he was younger, he had seen dojos that were much more impressive and lavishly decorated. This place was a bit…spartan in comparison.

He stopped briefly to admire a sword sitting on its stand in the middle of the hallway. It was much like the rest of the hall: austere, but beautiful in its simplicity. It was old, but not dusty or displaying any visible signs of rust or disrepair. Resting in a black sheathe, just enough of its blade was revealed to reflect the light glinting off of its gorgeous metal. On the hilt were written the following Kanji: Honor, Respect, Duty. He held out a hand to feel along the hilt…

…and was duly smacked alongside the back of the head. He winced, rubbing the sore spot where Motoko had whacked him one.

"Don't touch anything in here," she hissed at him in a sotto voice, "or I will personally make use of you as a training dummy!" She grabbed his hand and led him roughly in the direction her sister had headed, fuming all the way. All Keitaro could do was go along for the ride as her grip was tighter than a vice.

"Uh, sorry?" he offered in consolation, fairly sure that wasn't going to be enough.

Tsuruko came upon a small, rather unremarkable wooden door set in the wall at the back end of the dojo. Seemingly oblivious that her brother-in-law was being dragged behind her sister's wake, she carefully folded her hands in front of her and placed them on her hakama, waiting patiently for the two to arrive.

"S-sorry, oneesan. This fool just got a bit, uh, lost," Motoko flustered, not sure why she was making excuses for this moron.

"Oh my, it's certainly all right," Tsuruko responded with her usual benign smile. She turned her attention to the door and opened it, "Wait right her, please." She walked inside the dark portal and various sounds of rummaging could be heard from within.

Motoko let go of Keitaro's hand, finding herself blushing slightly, and leaned over to him, whispering, "Sorry, but be careful of anything you do, say, or touch in here. There's no telling what onee-san would do if she found out something was tampered with in the hall!"

Keitaro gulped, realizing full well the powerful wrath of Tsuruko when she went psycho. It was as if she had a split personality: delightful, charming, pleasant and extremely beautiful on the one hand; she was cunning, powerful, mobile, and downright scary when upset. Motoko had once stated that when she draws her sword, it is as if you are witnessing a "war god that's been awoken from its slumber." After experiencing Tsuruko's wrath in battle, he had to concur. She was one mother you didn't want to mess with.

"A-all right," he nodded, adding, "Sorry, I won't let it happen again."

"See that you don't," she muttered and pulled back, crossing her arms and looking away. Her hand was still warm from his touch. She glanced at it out of the corner of her eye, flexing it, trying to remember what it felt like.

Tsuruko reemerged, holding what appeared to be a few staffs, "Ah, I've found them!"

"Um, what are those?" Keitaro pointed towards the implements she was clasping. He wondered if she was going to have him do battle with Motoko over a pit of flaming pitch or razor sharp blades in order to assert dominance in their marriage or some other such weird nonsense.

"Why, your training equipment," Tsuruko beamed and handed a staff to each one of them.

"Urm? T-tsuruko, I'm not really sure I have time to be training in martial arts…I **do** kinda have a dorm to run, and classes to go to, and…and…"

Motoko cleared her throat and spoke up, "Urashima."

"Hmm?" he turned his head towards her.

She held the long pole in her hand and quickly turned it over so that the other end pointed upwards. It was clear that something was definitely attached to the other end.

It was a mop head.

No, not a spear, sharp blade, or even spiked ball and chain…but a mop head.

He looked back to the staff he grasped in his own hands and turned it upside down.

A broom.

The newlyweds stared at each other for a moment and then looked back at Tsuruko questioningly.

"Onee-san? What gives?"

"Well,** someone** needs to clean up the mess after the reception."

They both sweatdropped.

"Clean up…" started Keitaro, looking at Motoko.

"…the mess?" finished Motoko, looking back at Keitaro.

Tsuruko belied her gentle, serene exterior and smiled darkly for a moment and then began to head back down the hall, hands behind her back. She stopped for an instant, looking over her shoulder, "Motoko-chan, this is a wonderful opportunity for the two of you to work together and learn how to function as a couple. I would like the entire yard to be swept and cleaned, the wedding platform mopped and any garbage picked up. Furthermore, all the dishes must be washed as well."

She continued onward, stating as she turned around the corner, "I do so look forward to your results."

They stared at each other for a minute, still unsure of how to react to her sister's odd instructions. She hadn't been aware of any previous traditions in the family that required the new couples to clean the reception, so this was new to her.

Regardless, Motoko knew better than to disobey her sister's directives.

"Uhh, I'll take care of garbage detail, I guess," Keitaro rubbed the back of his head, throwing the broom over a free shoulder; the other arm was occupied steadying himself on his crutch.

Motoko nodded slowly in response, holding the mop horizontally in front of her, and looked downward, "I will focus on mopping the floors of the wedding stage, I suppose."

They nodded assent at each other and headed back towards the outside.

Tsuruko peeked around the corner, smiling, _All they need is a push in the right direction,_ she thought to herself.

Keitaro yoinked up the twenty-third saké bottle he had come across and tossed it in the basket he had holstered on his back. It resounded with a heavy 'thunk' as it landed on top of the twenty-two other empty bottles and assorted garbage. These must have all been Kitsune's doing. He sighed, then wiped his brow and proceeded to grab a handful of spent candy wrappers and party favors. The Hinata crew sure did know how to party hardy. The place was a mess. He doubted any of Motoko's relatives could have done this much damage.

A few items fell out of his basket when he bent over to collect trash under a nearby reception table.

"_Drat._ _Who ate all of this stuff?" _he murmured to himself, picking up yet another used banana peel. "_Oh, duh. Well, at least I know who ate all thes_e." He tried to flick off some gunk that had managed to attach itself to his left hand. His knees were beginning to ache from the constant kneeling, and the cast on his leg wasn't exactly making the job much easier. It emitted a small, throbbing pain that had constantly egged him on. At least he was almost done.

His thoughts depressingly began to wander and Naru's face became the heart of his meditations. Her attributes floated up at him: her smile, her laugh, the way she would pout when upset, and the way she'd pound you into orbit when you were caught "peeking". He smiled softly for a moment, lost in the overly optimistic memories he'd accumulated.

The reality of the moment kicked him in the gut, however, and suddenly he was back sitting on the ground: now very much a married man and picking up garbage…with a turtle lounging on his head.

"Myuh."

He sniffed and wiped a single tear that had accumulated on his cheek and placed Tama-chan on the ground; she promptly flew off to do turtle-y things.

"_My old life is over," _he reflected mournfully and turned his attention back to the matter at hand.

Spotting an empty paper cup underneath an adjacent table, he stretched to grab at it. It was **just** out of his reach, and the basket and cast were restricting his movement. He stretched further…just a little bit more…more…

"Urashima?"

"Yea--? OW!" Keitaro had attempted to look up to whoever was calling him and he ended up banging his dome on the underneath of the table. He rubbed his poor, pounding skull while tears of pain began to form at the edges of his eyes.

Motoko stifled a laugh, covering her mouth to hide any sense of amusement. She leaned down, now wearing a light brown sweatshirt and sweat pants, having traded in her wedding clothes. She thumbed at the stage behind them that the wedding ceremony had taken place on.

"I have completed mopping the platform. Did you require any assistance?"

Urashima shook out the cobwebs from his head and snatched up the blasted paper cup before it could cause any more trouble. This time he made sure he was out from under the table before sitting up.

"Uhh, I don't think so. This is about it," he smiled lightly, regardless of how fake it appeared. He stowed the cup and remaining garbage that had fallen from the basket. "What about you?" he replied in turn.

She stood back from her hunched position, placed her hands on her hips, and took in the reception area around her. She shook her head, "No. I believe we have nearly completed everything. All that is left is the dishes."

"Finally," Keitaro breathed out in relief. They'd been working on this for approximately five to six hours. Each time they were sure they had finished a particular chore, Tsuruko had come along and pointed out something they had missed or something else that needed doing. At least her persistence had paid off: the yard surrounding the stage and reception area was pretty much spotless. It had also all been done in relative darkness since the sun had set and there were not really any sources of outside light other than a few paper lanterns hanging here and there outside of the dojo. Moonlight was their main, practical source.

He attempted to get up on his crutch, but his leg screamed out in agony at the abuse it had endured due to the fight earlier and the cleaning duties just completed. He let out a small cry and fell back on his behind. Instinctively, he dropped his support, and grabbed at his leg, embracing it tightly, hoping somehow that would ease the pain. It was somewhat akin to sucking on a paper cut: it doesn't exactly help, but it makes you feel better, anyhow.

Motoko began to berate him for his carelessness, but stopped herself before the first word had barely left her lips. He didn't seem to notice, and clung to his hurt leg.

_Would you please take care of Keitaro for me?_

She stared at him for a second and sighed inwardly.

"Here," she stated, leaning down and placing her arm around his left side, "Lift with your other leg."

Keitaro blinked, suddenly forgetting about his leg for a moment, a little taken aback by compassionate behavior originating from Motoko. He shrugged internally and nodded, placing his right foot on the ground. He pushed down, and took hold of the crutch with his left hand. She helped him up slowly until he was standing straight; he leaned on his crutch until he could stand steadily on his own.

"Are you all right?" she asked, staring sternly at him.

"Mm," he affirmed.

She hesitated in letting go of him, but finally did so, turning away so he couldn't see her blush.

"_What is wrong with me!"_ she rebuked herself, and swiftly cleared her throat.

"Let's finish this. I would like to go back home." She began to walk back towards the main house, hands behind her head. She stopped momentarily to look over her shoulder, "Do you require help?"

"Uh, no thanks," he replied, running a free hand though his hair; he was a bit perplexed and uncertain of what else to say. He started to hobble after her, but stopped, turning to stare at the now twilight sky. It was relatively clear out here in the country (Kyoto?), and the stars stood out like a zebra's white. You could almost reach out and touch them.

However, they had very little significance in the mind of Keitaro Urashima at the moment. His heart weighed heavy as his thoughts rested on Naru; he was worried about her and wasn't sure where she had disappeared to. The fact that she didn't show up for the wedding wasn't a huge surprise, but it definitely wasn't something constituting a sign of good tidings.

Why had he risked everything by helping Motoko with her deceptions and her battles? He had no allegiance to her in the same way he did to Naru, except as that of a friend. Was it his uncertainty about how Naru felt about him? Had he already given up and accepted that she shared no feelings for him in the way that he did for her?

Speaking of that, what exactly **did** he feel for Naru and why?

Sure, he couldn't deny that he felt warm and fuzzy when she was around, and that a genuine friendship between them had bloomed in their camaraderie as ronins.

But was it genuine love like he had professed to her back in the hospital? Or did he only feel some sort of emotional attachment to her due to their shared set of circumstances and closeness?

_Does it really matter how I feel anyway? That ship has sailed. Motoko is my focus now._

Still, he was burdened for Naru and exhaled noisily.

_Please be happy, Naru._

A hand smacked him forward, dredging him out of his meandering meditations.

"Urashima! Quit dillydallying! Let's go!"

"Y-yeah! Sorry!" he apologized, laughing nervously. He quickly followed his spouse inside.

She wandered aimlessly down the streets of Kyoto, no particular destination in mind; the farther away from "him" and the rest of the Hinata residents the better. Her cheeks were tear stained, her long golden brown hair a tangled mess, and her clothes wrinkled. The only thing she carried was a small duffel bag containing her clothes, which she had slung over her right shoulder. She sniffed softly, an occasional whimper and moan escaping from her lips. She lifted a trembling hand to wipe more tears that were attempting to make their escape.

_Stupid, stupid Keitaro. You big dummy._

She came to a stop, holding out a hand to prop herself up against the pole of a nearby noodle shop. She put all of her weight against it and bent forward; her downcast face was obscured by her bangs. Her shoulders began to shake again as the whole scene played over and over in her mind. In the matter of mere seconds, any chance of anything between her and Keitaro was dashed on rocks…and she never took the time to tell him how she really felt…she'd been too afraid.

_No…no…_

"IT'S NOT FAIR, DAMN IT!" she suddenly shouted out, her fists clenched in anger and brow furrowed; tears streamed down her miserable countenance. She lashed out with her fists and proceeded to punch the pole in outrage. She did so several different times in succession until her fist was completely black and blue. It stung like hell, but she didn't really care…her mind was playing over those last few moments over and over.

The kiss. The kiss that ended her life.

She finally stopped, breathing labored and heavy. She stood for several moments, silently contemplative and sobbing. She didn't even bother to notice that her fists were bleeding.

_Why did I just give up? Why did I just hand him over to her?_

She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and gazed emptily forward; she was so intensely focused inward that she didn't take notice in the screaming projectile descending on her from far overhead.

"…aaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH-----!"

**SMASH!**

A living "missile" plowed headfirst into the roof of earlier referenced noodle shop, throwing up clouds of dust and debris all over the environment. Adding insult to injury, a 2 x 4 smacked Naru directly in the face.

"Ack!" she blurted out and fell onto her butt. A huge red "beauty mark" in the shape of a wooden plank showed directly in the center of her face.

"Oh, sonnafa---" a voice spat out, "…my new dress is all ruined! Damn that Haruka!"

Naru blinked a few times. That voice was certainly familiar.

The door to the noodle shop flew open, and a shadowy figure in a tight blouse and mini-skirt walked out, pouring what appeared to be dust from one of her pumps, "Ehhhhhh…..these shoes cost me 10,000 yen! Cripes, guess I'll have to trick Keitaro into letting rent slide this month."

The figure noticed Naru and walked into the moonlight.

"Heya, girlie. Wondered when I'd find ya," she grinned.

"K-kitsune!" Naru blurted out.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Author's Note: Heh, wow, it's certainly been awhile, hasn't it? Probably 3-4 months by my count. Wonder if anyone is still interested in reading this? I was certainly surprised by the response I received after the posting of Chapter 1 and graciously thank you all of you for your comments and encouragement. I was also surprised to find that the story was added to a few favorite lists. Lest I get a big head, I need to remind myself that there are several more chapters to go! Ah, well. I did get back into this game to see if I could manage the challenge! I don't think I realized when I started this endeavor that the fanfic market was already deluged with Motoko x Keitaro tales. Nevertheless, I will proceed as long as the Lord allows me. New chapters may come sporadically and at different intervals as I intend not to release each section without making sure that I'm fairly pleased with what I've written. That, plus I work a full-time job, which leaves very little time in the evenings. 

_Ever had a serious burst of inspiration with one piece of writing and then hit a brick wall when you work on the next? That's a bit what writing Chapter 2 was like. I currently have written a synopsis of what each chapter will focus on and the story ideas therein. I am presently aiming for ten chapters, but depending on circumstances, may do more or less than that. In any case, I knew what I wanted to accomplish with Chapter 2, but some of the implementation was lacking and I ran into a lot of editing of parts that either didn't quite make sense or did not fit too well into the canon. I am almost afraid I will sway either too far towards over-seriousness and reflection or too much wacky hi-jinx and slapstick. A balance is essential; however, even the manga-ka of Love Hina himself, Ken Akamatsu, usually went overboard with laughs. Likewise, he did take side trips along the way and allowed for ruminations on character development and relationships when necessary to the story. Much of chapter 2 might be considered a 'side-trip' of sorts. Most of the serious humor hits you in the face at the beginning and then grows a bit more introspective._

_The characterization in some of this, I fear, may not be totally in sync with Akamatsu-san's series, but I have attempted the best I can. My intention is to make the characters grow, if even towards a new direction from the original. Thankfully, I have all fourteen volumes on hand for reference. _

_But, don't worry. Su will still always be a banana-eating freak; Kitsune a wise (wise-ass, maybe), yet drunken, partier; Sarah will always be a real, and totally utter brat with perhaps a bit of a soft spot for the 'dork'; timid little Shinobu may grow out of her shyness, but her kindness and thoughtfulness for others will not diminish; Keitaro will be the same indecisive, nerdy ronin who eventually sheds his skin to become something a bit more than he was; Motoko will still retain the spirit of a warrior, but perhaps will grow the most of all. Naru, will…well, I won't go into too much detail regarding that yet…especially since I haven't totally figured that out myself. :D_

_Boy, sounds like you're in good hands, doesn't it? Put on your helmets, folks._

_In any case, it is my intention to allow changes to occur naturally and not force them, as some are wont to do. _

_Yes, people do change: but sometimes it's subtle, and other times it's completely in-your-face obvious._

_Well, my author's note is becoming as lengthy as the chapter itself, so I will end it here. I do hope you enjoyed Chapter 2! Please feel free to point out any problems or contradictions you see with the story and any changes you propose I might make. This story is by no means a stagnant document; it is constantly transforming until I feel it is ready to let go._

_laugh I can already look back at Chapter 1 and see several glaring omissions; perhaps I am being too hard on myself? _

_Thanks, and please keep sending the reviews!_

_Hinata no Otaku(aka Joshua Seames)_


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